Weft replenishing apparatus for looms



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"Sept. 29', 1959 G. A. RENSHAW Filed Dec. 15, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 m wavrae P ,1959 G. A. RENSHAW 2,906,297

WEFT REPLENISHING APPARATUS FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 15, 1955 5 sheets-sheet 2 ATTOAIVQ'S' P 1,959 G. A. RENSHAW 2,906,297

WEFT REPLENISHING APPARATUS FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 15, 1955 5 SheetsSheet 3 s2 s3 s5 63 68: go 3 Li Q 97 v F1;g.3. 76

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Sept 29, 1959 G. A. RENSHAW 2,906,297

WEFT REPLENISHING APPARATUS FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 15, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 WEFI' REPLENISHING APPARATUS FOR LooMs George Albert Renshaw, Linthwaite, Huddersfield, England Application December 15, 1955, Serial No. 553,355

Claims priority, application Great Britain December 17, 1954 8 Claims. or. 139411 This invention relates to weft replenishing mechanism for multiple-box looms. In such looms it is usual to provide a series of shuttle boxes (say four) at one end of the loom and a single box at the other end of the loom. The series of boxes are arranged to have a ver-' tical movement so that the bottom of each box in turn is brought level with the shuttle race. When it is desired to supply a new weft package to any particular shuttle it is necessary to effect the change when that shuttle is in the single box at the end of the loom opposite the series of boxes. This is because the empty pirn drops out of the bottom of the shuttle and hence must have a clear passage below the shuttle box.

A disadvantage of such arrangements is that it is only possible to weave alternate picks, i.e. each shuttle must lay at least two weft threads at each operation. When it is desired to have pick-and-pick or pick-at-will weaving, provision must be made for more than one shuttle box at each end of the loom. There then arises the difliculty previously mentioned of the ejected pirn passing through lower boxes. In one arrangement it has been proposed to use two boxes at each end of the loom and arrange for the weftpackage to be changed when I United States Patent the particular shuttle is in the top box at one end, and

the box beneath it is empty. Such an arrangement requires a complicated delaying mechanism from the weft feeler to the weft hammer. I

Looms are also sometimes provided with a series of shuttle-boxes arranged in a circular or partly circular formation but these are outside the scope of this invention.

The object of this'invention is to provide a weft replenishing mechanism for a multiple box loomwhich can be used to supply weft packages to a shuttle in any one of a series of boxes.

According to this invention two or more shuttle boxes are arranged in a battery one above the otherbut displaced horizontally so that no one box is vertically above another box.

One construction of a battery of shuttle boxes and the associated weft replenishing mechanism will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic end view of a battery of four shuttle boxes, showing the weft replenishing mechanism with a bobbin change taking place in the third box from the top,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the boxes shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an end view of part of the weft replenishing mechanism shown in the inoperative position,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the bb' h 'ust been ina Posmon of the Parts when a be m as I arranged in accordance with this invention such an arserted in a shuttle,

Fig. 5 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 3 looking in the direction of arrow V in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the lower portion of Fig. 5. A battery of four shuttle-boxes 10, 1 1, 12 and 13 is provided, the boxes being arranged in an inclined formation as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Each shuttle-box has a back 14, 15, 16, 17; a front 18, 19, 20, 21; a bottom 22, 23, 24, 25 and a top 26, 27, 28, 29; As can be seen most clearly in Fig. 1, the bottom 22 of the box 10 is approximately level with thetop 27 of the box 11; the bottom 23 of the box 11 is approximately level with the top 28 of the box 12 and so on.

Each box is provided with a swell 30, 31, 32, 33 which is loaded by a spring 34, 35, 36, 37; pivoted on a pivot pin 38, 39, 40, 41; and retained at its free end by a screw and nut 42, 43, 44, 45. (Any other known form of loading the swell could of course be employed.)

The-four boxes are joined together to make a complete unit, and slides 46 and 47 are provided at the ends of the boxes. The slides are adapted to engage with guide bars (indicated diagrammatically at 48 and 49- in Fig. 1) forming part of the loom sley assembly. An operatingrod 50 is pivoted to the lower end of the battery at 51 and is adapted to raise and lower the boxes. It willbe appreciated that the operating rod 50 can be actuated by any known method employing cams or some formed of dobby to give the required sequence of operation of the shuttle-boxes, but whereas the usual vertical stack of boxes is given a vertical movement, in this case the stack or battery of boxes receives an inclined movement. In each position of the battery, one of the boxes is level with the loom raceboard. For instance, in Fig. l the box 12 is level with the raceboard, the box 13 is below and to the front of the raceboard, whilst both the boxes 10 and 11 are above and to the rear of the raceboard. a i

It will be clear, therefore that no one box is directly above any other box, and therefore a bobbin can be pressed into a shuttle in any box which happens to be level with the raceboard, and the bobbin which was previously in that particular shuttle will be ejected through a hole 52, 53, 54, 55 in the bottom of the box. Thus in efiect so far as bobbin changing is concerned each of the boxes 10, 11, 12, '13 is in the same condition as a single box, or in other words, the other boxes in no way interfere with a bobbin change in the box which is level with the raceboard.

In most cases, however, it will be necessary, with such a box arrangement, to modify the bobbin change mechanism, and such a modified mechanism is gillustrated in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5.

Fig. l-shows in diagrammatic form the general arrangement of the bobbin change mechanism, which is a well known type having four vertical compartments 56, 57, 58 and 59 for full bobbins (indicated at 60). The change mechanism incorporates a selector mechanism for selecting the compartment from which a bobbin is to fall on to a pair of bobbin guides 61 and 62(only one of which is shown in Fig. 1). 63 is a change hammer which is adapted to operate each time a weft change is required and to press a full bobbin into the shuttle in the box which is level with the raceboard. In Fig. 1 the position is shown where the hammer 63 has just pressed a bobbin into a shuttle 64 in the box 12.

In most bobbin change mechanisms of the general type in which there are a number of vertical compartments for the full bobbins, the mechanism is so arranged that a rangement would be almost impossible, because in the case of a bobbin change required in any box, other than the top box, the boxes above the one in which a change was required would foul the change mechanism. It is for this reason that the bobbin'guides 61 a'nd62 are Patented Sept. 29, I959 provided, these guides serving to convey a bobbin released from one of the compartments 56, 57, 58, '59 to a position near the rear of the change mechanism.

Referring now to ,Figs. 3, 4 and 5 which show the change mechanism, there are provided two side plates or castings 65, 66 spaced apart by strut 67, within which side plates are the compartments 56, 57, v58, 59 for the full bobbins. The side plates .are fixed on the breast beam of the loom in the usual position for a bobbin change mechanism. In Figs. 3 and 4, the side plates 65 and 66 are only shown in chain dotted lines to show the interior mechanism.

An angle bracket 67 fixed to the loom breast beam carries a fixed hammer shaft 68 which is locked against rotation by the setscrew 69 in the retaining block 70. Rotata'bly mounted on the shaft 68 is the hammer .63 formed with a head 71 adapted to engage the bobbin. A boss 72 fixed to the hammer 63 is provided with a lug 73 to which is fastened one end of a torsion spring 74, the other end of which is anchored to a nut 75 fixed to the shaft 68. By this arrangement the hammer 63 is urged by the spring 74 into the position shown in Fig. '3.

At its front end the hammer 63 is connected to a lever 76 which is in turn connected to a battery latch (not shown) adapted to be operated by a weft feeler so that when a shortage of weft is detected the battery latch is brought into line with a hunter on the sley. The forward movement of the sley is thereby utilised to push the latch and the lever 76, thereby turning the hammer 63.

A pivot shaft 77 is rotatably mounted in the side plates 65 and 66 and two swinging levers 78 and 79 are fixed on this shaft. The bobbin guides 61 and 62 are pivoted on a rod 80 supported between the free ends of the levers 78 and 79. A bobbin retaining plate 81 is fixed to the bobbin guide 61 and a bobbin retaining plate 82 is slidably connected to the guide 62. Two pegs 83 and 84 project from the guide 62 through slots 85 and 86 in the retaining plate 82 to provide for relative movement between the plate 82 and the guide 62. The front end of the plate 82 is bent to provide a bearing surface 88 adapted to be engaged by the screw stop 87 fixed to the guide 62, thereby limiting forward movement of the plate 82, and a compression spring 89 is fixed between the bearing surface 88 and a part of the guide 62 thereby restraining rearward movement of the plate 82. The rear end of the plate 82 is bent to provide a bracket 90 to receive the end of a bobbin when the latter is released ready for a change.

A lever 91 is fixed on the pivot shaft 77 and at its upper end carries a screw stop 92 adapted to engage with a stop 93 fixed on the plate 65, and a screw 94 to which is fixed one end of a tension spring 95, the other end of which is anchored to the plate 65 and 96.

A pivot 97 fixed to the front end of the hammer 63 carries a bracket 98 to which is fixed an adjustable rod 99 screwed into the bracket 98 at its lower end and into a smaller bracket 100 at its upper end. The bracket 100 is pivoted to a swinging arm 101 pivoted to the side plate 66 at 102. A peg 103 projecting from the guide 62 is adapted to be engaged by the underside of the swinging arm 101 as shown in Fig. 3.

A rod 104 pivoted to the guide 61 at 105 extends upwardly to a position near the top of the plates 65 and 66 where it is pivotally connected at 106 to the front end of a lever 107 which is itself pivoted about the screw 108 and which at its rear end is pivotally connected to the upper end of a lever 109 which extends vertically downwards. At its lower end the lever 109 carries a guide pin 110 which is pivoted at 111 and is also slidable in holes in a rocking bracket 112. The bracket 112 can rock about its axis 113 but is restrained in one direction by the screw stop 114 and in the other by the spring 115. A bracket 116 which carries the rocking bracket assembly is also pivoted on the axis 113 which is fixed 4 to the plate 65, and a spring 117 holds the bracket 116 against rotation when the bracket 112 strikes the stop 113.

A suitable weft selector mechanism (not shown) is provided on the exterior of the plates 65, 66 to select from which compartment a bobbin shall be released ready for a change, but this mechanism may be of any known type and forms no part of the present invention.

operation of the mechanism described above will now be described. If the loom is operating normally when no weft change 'is required, the change mechanism remains inoperative and the battery of boxes simply slides up and down the inclined guide bars 48 and 49 in response to the movement of the rod 50.

Supposing that the weft feeler indicates that a weft change is required in say the shuttle appertaining to box 12, the selector device will release the appropriate bobbin from one of the compartments 56, 57, 58, 59 and the bobbin will fall on to the guides 61 and 62. The full bobbin will .then roll down the guides 61 and 62 to the rear end of the guides where it will be retained by the bracket end of the plate 82 and the guide pin 110.

When the sley comes forward on the next beat up, the lever 76 will be moved from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4. Due to this movement .of the lever '76, several other .movernents will take place as follows. The hammer 63 will turn about the shaft 68 to press the bobbin into the shuttle, and as the front end of the hammer rises, the rod 99 lifts the swinging arm 101 thus raising the latter away from the peg 103 so that the rear end of the guides 61, 62 with their associated retaining plates .81 and 82 (which together form a guide car- 'riage) drop into the position shown in Fig. 4. In this position ,the full bobbin on the carriage is directly above the shuttle in the box 12.

As the hammer 63 presses on the bobbin, the guide pin swings about its pivot 111 to allow the bobbin to pass. (The position of the guide pin 110 when a bobbin is passing is shown in Fig. 4.) Thus due to the action of the spring 115 the guide pin exercises a controlling infiuence on the movement of the bobbin from the carriage into the shuttle. At the same time the retaining plate 82 moves rearwardly against the action of the spring 89 so that the bracket end 90 of the plate 82 also controls the bobbin movement.

When the sley moves rearwardly, the torsion spring 74 returns the hammer 63 to its original position and the arm 101 strikes the peg 103 thereby returning the carriage to its original position. The guide pin 110 is also returned by the combined action of the downward movement of the rod 104 transmitting motion to the pin 110'through the levers 107 and 109, and the action of the spring 115 on the rocking bracket 112.

Provision has been made for a shuttle-box accidentally fouling the mechanism. In that case the shuttlebox would strike the rear end of the carriage which would swing forwardly about the pivot screw 77. This would cause the lever 91 to turn and would extend the spring 95. The guide pin 110 would also be pushed forwardly which would turn the bracket 116 due to the pressure of the rocking bracket 112 on the screw stop 113. The spring 117 would permit this movement of the bracket 116. As soon as pressure was withdrawn from the carriage and pin 110, the springs 95 and 117 would return the mechanism to its normal position.

I claim:

1. For use in a loom, a shuttle-box battery comprising at least three shuttle-boxes and means connecting said boxes in a rigid assembly in which said boxes are disposed in an offset vertical and horizontal relationship when the bases of all the shuttle boxes are in a horizontal position.

2. For use in a loom, a shuttle-box battery as claimed in claim 1, and means mounting said shuttle-box battery for movement along a path parallel with a plane passing through the longitudinal axes of all the shuttle-boxes.

3. For use in a loom, a shuttle-box battery as claimed in claim 1, at least one of said shuttle-boxes having a slot in its bottom.

4. For use in a loom, a shuttle-box battery comprising at least three shuttle-boxes, means connecting said boxes in a rigid assembly in which said boxes are disposed in an offset vertical and horizontal relationship, and a weft replenishing mechanism having a weft supporting carriage mounted for movement on the weft replenishing mechanism between a retracted position and an operative position in which part of said weft supporting carriage is above the position occupied by which ever of said shuttle boxes is level with the loom raceboard.

5. For use in a loom, a shuttle-box battery comprising at least three shuttle-boxes, means connecting said boxes in a rigid assembly in which said boxes are disposed in an oifset vertical and horizontal relationship, means mounting said shuttle-box battery for movement along a path parallel with a plane passing through the longitudinal axes of all the shuttle-boxes and a Weft replenishing mechanism having a weft supporting carriage mounted for movement on the weft replenishing mechanism between a retracted position and an operative position in which said operative position part of said weft supporting carriage is above the position occupied by whichever of said shuttle boxes is level with the loom raceboard.

6. For use in a loom, a shuttle-box battery comprising at least three shuttle-boxes, means connecting said boxes in a rigid assembly in which said boxes are disposed in an offset vertical and horizontal relationship, means mounting said shuttle-box battery for movement along a path parallel with a plane passing through the longitudinal axes of all the shuttle-boxes, a weft replenishing mechanism having a weft supporting carriage, a pivot mounting for said carriage for movement on the weft replenishing mechanism between a retracted position and an operative position in which said operative position part of said weft supporting carriage is above the position occupied by whichever of said shuttle boxes is level with the loom raceboard and means for turning said carriage about said pivot.

7. For use in a loom, a shuttle-box battery comprising a plurality of shuttle-boxes rigidly connected in an offset vertical and horizontal relationship, means mounting said shuttle-box battery for movement along a path parallel with a plane passing through .the longitudinal axes of all the shuttle-boxes, a weft replenishing mechanism having a weft carriage mounted for movement on the weft replenishing mechanism to a position where part of said carriage is above one of said shuttle-boxes, a pivot on which said carriage is mounted, means for turning said carriage about said pivot, and means resiliently mounting said carriage on said replenishing mechanism.

8. For use in a loom, a shuttle-box battery comprising a plurality of shuttle-boxes rigidly connected in an off set vertical and horizontal relationship, means mounting said shuttle-box battery for movement along a path parallel with a plane passing through the longitudinal axes of all the shuttle-boxes, a weft replenishing mechanism having a weft carriage mounted for movement on the weft replenishing mechanism to a position where part of said carriage is above one of said shuttle-boxes, a pivot on which said carriage is mounted, arms carrying said pivot, means mounting said arms for turning movement on part of said weft replenishing mechanism, and means resiliently mounting said arms and urging said arms in one direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,107,847 Bahan Feb. 8, 1938 2,463,673 Baker Mar. 8, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 465,192 Italy Aug. 13, 1951 469.121 Canada "navy-v" Nov. 7, 1950 

